In the past, particulate materials, such as coal fines, coke breeze, saw dust, and other biomass wastes, have presented storage, handling, and processing challenges. Additionally, metal oxides from blast furnaces, basic oxygen furnaces and electric arc furnaces have routinely been discarded, in large quantities, creating a source of pollution and presenting an environmental hazard, which continues for decades. Further, composite waste products, including post-consumer and post-industrial carpet waste, are routinely discarded into waste storage facilities, such as landfills. In addition to presenting challenges related to handling the composite waste products, the slow rate of decomposition results in an unfavorable environmental impact that continues for decades.
Prior attempts at disposing of coke breeze, coal fines, and other particulate solids by producing solid forms, such as briquettes or pellets, have been largely unsuccessful because the particulate solids do not adequately bind and the resulting product can be mechanically unstable, disintegrating or degrading back into small, fine particles during storage and handling. Other attempts at producing solid forms from the particulate solids may use costly binder materials, such as petroleum pitch or water-based latexes, and may use costly and complex processing techniques. Water-based materials will reduce the heating value of fuel based solids and produce a formed material which is unstable during outside storage and transport and may disintegrate causing fugitive dust emissions or ground water contamination. Further, previous attempts have utilized binders, including petroleum-based materials, which become tacky and difficult to transport at ambient and elevated temperatures, and may cause contamination and run-off problems when stored outside.
Thus, a heretofore-unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.